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Q196432: DNS SOA Default Values Are Not Configurable

Article: Q196432
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): WinNT:4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbWinNT400sp5fix
Last Modified: 20-MAY-2002

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0 
- Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0 
- Microsoft Windows NT Server, Enterprise Edition version 4.0 
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IMPORTANT: This article contains information about editing the registry.
Before you edit the registry, make sure that you understand how to restore it if
a problem occurs. For information about how to do this, see the "Restoring the
Registry" Help topic in Regedit.exe or the "Restoring a Registry Key" Help topic
in Regedt32.exe.

SYMPTOMS
========

It is not possible to change the following default DNS Start of Authority (SOA)
values:

- Serial Number

- Minimum TTL

- Expire Timer

- Retry Timer

- Refresh Timer

For more information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge
Base:

  Q163971 The Structure of a DNS SOA Record

RESOLUTION
==========

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows NT 4.0 or
the individual software update. For information on obtaining the latest service
pack, please go to:

- http://www.microsoft.com/Windows/ServicePacks/

-or-

- Q152734 How to Obtain the Latest Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack

For information on obtaining the individual software update, contact Microsoft
Product Support Services. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support
Services phone numbers and information on support costs, please go to the
following address on the World Wide Web:

  http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;CNTACTMS


STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 4.0. This
problem was first corrected in Windows NT version 4.0 Service Pack 5.

MORE INFORMATION
================

Some organizations, responsible for registering DNS domain names, demand
specific DNS SOA values to be used when registering DNS domains. This is to make
sure that these values adapt well to the requirements of the Internet.

The following is an example of the values that were requested by one of these
organizations:

- serial number is not in YYYYMMDDxx format

- minimum ttl should fit the 40000-345600 range

- expire timer should fit in the 604800-360000 range

- retry timer does should fit in the 1800-28800 range

- refresh timer should fit in the 10000-86400 range

Changing these values through DNS Admin is possible, but very labor- intensive
when creating lots of zones. Therefore the following registry entries have been
made to make these values configurable for all zones that are created.

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may
require that you reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee
that problems that result from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be
solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

For information about how to edit the registry, see the "Changing Keys and
Values" Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) or the "Add and Delete
Information in the Registry" and "Edit Registry Data" Help topics in
Regedt32.exe. Microsoft recommends that you back up the registry before you edit
it. If you are running Windows NT or Windows 2000, Microsoft also recommends
that you update your Emergency Repair Disk (ERD).

  
  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\DNS\Parameters

  ForceSoaSerial (REG_DWORD)
  ForceSoaMinimumTtl (REG_DWORD)
  ForceSoaRefresh (REG_DWORD)
  ForceSoaRetry (REG_DWORD)
  ForceSoaExpire (REG_DWORD)

  NOTE: Be sure to click Decimal in Registry Editor when entering values.

These registry keys:

- Overwrite the appropriate SOA value of every primary zone that loads on the
  computer.

- Serve as default values for any new zone written

Using these registry entries will lock down the values; changing them through the
DNS Admin Tool is still possible, but on the next restart of the DNS server,
these SOA values are rewritten from the above registry entries.

NOTE: ForceSoaSerial should only be used for registration purposes as described
above. After registering, this key should be deleted to ensure normal serial
number functionality. If this key is not deleted, on every DNS server restart,
the serial number is reset using the ForceSoaSerial value.


======================================================================
Keywords          : kbWinNT400sp5fix 
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNTW400 kbWinNTW400search kbWinNT400search kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTSEntSearch kbWinNTSEnt400 kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400
Version           : WinNT:4.0
Hardware          : ALPHA x86
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbfix

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